Automatic fuel control for boilers



Feb. 28,` 1933.` v R s VRQDIE 1,899,424

AUTOIATIC FUEL" CONTROL FOR BOILBRS .Filed oct'. 29.A 1951 estrena-sheet 1 UUUUUUUUUUL.

u K INVENToR.

Poseer Pools,

BYM/ 9W A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 28,` 1933. R. s.'RoD|E :mourra rum. conmon Fon no1-mmsV 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Filed Oct.

, 3 v regg INVENTOR.

l, 5 D Mn Q AN e n 5 @MA rv Q E l e om EV. B

y' y Patented Fea-28; 1933;.

7 AuroaricjrumgfoomrnorroaBomnnsffj f i i heating l, apparatus; and,` with reference to some ofits features, it relatesfmore' Aparticu-f y larly toautomatie'fuel eontrolforvb'oilersforf, f' ,f5 supplyinghot:Water,`yapor or steamkfor'heat j ing purposes. jWhile `the improy'edfappara#V j tus .is/especially vrwell designedfand adapteilft Y l y l y vfor heating hmsbuildiggMandfgorfglftmtirf,mayibe'gsubstituted'during;the'ftimerepairs i, j f y il is :sery'ieffble vvalso for producing steam f for.- y i irm'niotiveipower;VVX'

' It is `a {gene/ralf obj otf of ytheainvention to iprovidea heating apparatus oftheclass men- 1 toned wherein-ian "improved 'alitomatioll fuel f vfeed =is proyided,"@Wellfadapted-forthe auto# 152 matie Controlbffue'l coalto*the Combustion chamber of thelfurnacelfi Thev improvedfuel;y Control isr f advantageously r-arrang/ed for tlie'l automatic` feeding'ofthe colal'fto the furnace-Vv Without requiring the services 'of anattend-l 20! ant, .excepty for seryieingffaml"` supplying the fuel at relatively longfperiodsf. 1Tle'f"im proyed' apparatus is varrangedV so ias notfto' f require kthe services offan attendant, having Y Oncel been supplied Withfuel, for two Lto f siX 3 Y25: daysfor even for aylongerperiod; the fuelgfeed s n andeontrol-during such periodfbeingventire? y k'fly `automatic."WVhilef'the improvedV appara-fv tusisfwell adapted for." utilizing"yarioussizes I jaridgrades of Coaly orjcoke;'itfis'espeeial jfwell adaptedfor!using,'thesinalls-izesgfsucii` l e. asV bu'ckWheat`r Coal, and fit `is l also effective in using fine lpoWdered fcoa'l, Such as oulm;

1 It is av further j and impo1"t, tnt,,I y object f' ofitthe invention to pryide' an im'proyedgautoe30-matie fuelfe'ed control forheating :appa'raftus of theelass rv'Ir'ientioned Wherei-nthe fuel eoal isf Caused to lowautoniatieallyinaoppo Y site directionsto'thecombustion hamb'er'so maintain a 'frihbbon of ref @beneath the boile'rQ;

as fto V'constantly e f 'A furtherv objeceoffhe inyntin is 15120V` i Vide fuel spreaders for' automatriofuely feed,Vv .whereby the"v fuel 'level lin the" eorrlbuslaion` N chamber-is automatically maintained at the 'y correct position withy referenoeft-o the fgrate and to the orownplate -orfheatingsurfaeeofi,

K y.' `Another object of the gf` .vide improved fuel'spreaders orfoontrolsfforil I' YY@ the kautomaticfuelf'feed Whic'hmay adj ust-j This inyention 'relates to improvements inbustiony ohamber.k

` Aeoording-to another feature o'fthe inven-tV 1 tion','any improved j automatic `gravityl fuel feed f is :proyidedxwherebyIthefuelfzis Icausedf' to"` idw in. opposed-:streams or 'coursesan'd'v meet`v`r ingfreaeh`V other in the Combustion n chamber.;v Y yByfineans of: this' arrangement; thek furnace`l V'isgfwelladaptedtorburn thesmall sizes .or 'a Y mixtureoffdiferentnsizes off,,anthracite orff` :ff-

bituminouscoalgeoke;k and similar fuels. Any v vinferiorigrades''of coalmayfthus beflise'd," ,f

greatlyr reducing .the expense 'of running itheg] heating apparatus While J atxzthe' same"y timev f,

Y Stillanothernobjectffoftheinventionaistoj provide an r-improvedigheatingl.:apparatus;` e l Whereintheiboiler can readily-be removedy 3 fromr its 'mounting in the furnace for repairs E; y f a'njdgsol forth;'Whileganothersimilar vboiler,

providing zfofn largey fsteaminggoapaoity :and y satisfactory automatic"fueleontroL s L Alfurtaer 'Object-0f thezinvenaon tempra-4 1 1 Vide ya compact comparatively irieXp.ensiveyA 75 `boileran'd'heatingapparatusof simple strued.' *7' f A l ture fandla'rge l ste amng" Capacity with grejatfk 7features of (Constructiong ,Combinations vof strength` to ensure .safety against iPlosioI1tjV y Other obj eetsfofy ftheinifrention fyirifllVibe-fn?. part, pointed lout in the following detailed' descriptionV ofgfa'n illustrative A"but preferred vfembodilnentA` of the invention afndwilllb/,jinly n .t part;` obvous. ini connection therewith. 5,] t t l The:inventionaccordingly 'comprises the? 'will `be'exemplified` in the; ConstructionihereAY inafte'r set forthandthe scope of thefappliA 'A v l cationgof WhihrWill-'be indicated inythe* rFor,amore Completeunderstandinglof*thegy f f nature andfxobjectsffof 'the inv/entiori;refer-l i 'l ence isV hadglto the) aeoompanyingf `detailed i 1tmngof ,a heating apparatus; embodying the' in; ,e i v-'V`en-tongl thedislosireffbeingfpartially jdia-vl i grmmatieito failitate thelillustr'ation'. 106' r 'f`FigfQis-agyertioaltransyerse,seetion:sub1 f i.

f one of the fuel spreaders or wing plates.V

stantially on the line 2-'2of 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

` Fig. v3 is a sectionv on reduced scale substantially onV the line 3-3fo'f Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of Referring to the drawings for a detailed,

descriptionof the illustrative embodiment of the invention, a boiler 5 is provided which generally may be of a known typeof'construction. A boiler oftheire tubeV type is shown having a YVcylindrical shell vof llirelboxllf steel or similar metal with tube heads :6 in

which the tire tubes 7 are fitted and expanded I' so as Jco-make tightjoints. A connection 1 8` forl 'the outwardly flowing. steam Yor. hot wal* 1 structionv embodyingra cast iron casing lined with fire brick orV similar nonfconducting refractory material and having sidewalls 10.. andend walls 11 providing supports in which ythe boiler is set. `The grate bars12-are mount-v ed in the furnace walls entendingj longitudil -nally of theboiler and adoorl in the'front wall' communicates..:with :the 'combustion f chamber 14. The gratebars 12 may be ofany well known preferred construction, being shown as ofthe rotary type, which may belV opera-ted'in anydesired'mannefr through an operating connection 15. `For operating the grate bars, it is'preferred thatan electricmotorV (not shown) be used and automatically f controlled to. shake the grate bars at desired 'A blower vis connected tothe interior intervals so as to relieve the lire .bed of the accumulated .-ash. `-An ash @compartment y is provided beneath the grate in theiusualmanlier.

of the furnace to'create a forced draftand to supply theproper amount offair'to' effect l Vcomplete combustion ofthefueliandto regu-v late the'intensity of the fire in the furnace. This blower will'y be driven vby. 4an electric motor automatically controlled by temperav "ture regulating devices appropriately locat? ed inthe heated compartments or otherwise.`

the rearwardend oftheboil-er, there is a f 'balile 18 inthis passageway liaving'a movable damper 19. TheV function of .this baille 1 is to vdivert the:v heatedA gases;l Aforwardly through the lower tubes 7 to thefforward end Vof the boiler into a compartmentJ--20` whence they passthrough the upper tubes 7 into the discharge fiue'21l A control 'damper 22 is shown'in the dischargeflue and a clean out door 23 may be provided at the bottom of the passageway 17. The walls 24 surroundv-ing the hot air passageway 17 may be constructed of suitable refractory insulating v material, such, for example, Aas asbestos .and

lire clay.

, Forsupplying the fuel to 'the combustion chamber14, .a fuel supply hopper 25 is po- .sitionedV directly iabove the furnace vand shown as substantially surroundingthe boiler 5.""The wallsof 'this fuel hopper ma be i L l `constructed of any appropriate material as metal and may beline'd with appropriate insullating. or refractory material,` especially in the Vvicinity of the combustion chamber. The ter is connected with the boiler .communicati fuelhopper.hasfsidegand endl walls 26 and a `top wallllvwvhichmayrbe removableor formed `witharemovable cover through which the fuelsupply isv introduced 'into the hopper. The `bottom Wall orf floor ofthe' fuel hopper "is formed of downwardly r andinwardly ir.-

clined-platesr28- `These plates preferably,

Vas shown, incline downwardly and inwardlyv .from the respective side walls` terminating adjacentuthegrate 12 at the combustion chamber, Vthus. providing inclined surfaces upon `which the fuelfrestssoasto be causedY to flow downwardly thereover by gravity tow'ard vthe combustion chamber. VYThis liop-.

per construction..thusprovides oppbsitelv the grates 12 and beneath the boiler 5. These passageways, Vas shown, may continue sub- -stantially for theentire length of the'fur-- nace andV the Vcombustion chamber thereof so `thatthefcoal 4is supplied uniformly through yout the length of said chamber.

:Positionedabove `the fuel chutes Aor passage-ways 29 and acent thereto and to the boiler`5 4and within the fuel lion er are fuel j v spreadersor@ controllers V8O; As shown inv thel illustrative einbodiment, there are pref--` erablyftwo ofthesespreader's, one at each side; of the boiler.

These `spreaders are shown in the form ofwing plates angular in shape, each being 'attachedto and supported Aby `the boiler 5'.r Each wing plate may be welded at itsupper edge tothe surface of the boiler or otherwise appropriately attached theretov as by means -of an attaching flange 31 and'att-aching bolts 32 secured to the boiler.4 `In some casesfit is desirable to adjust thewingplates relative to the fuel passageflangesl for the reception of belts', as clear- Preferably each of the fuellspreaders's 3() Vextends for thefull length of the fuel chut-cs or i'fpassageways 29 .along the boiler.

The

upper :plateorflange 33 feach fuel spread` er, as shown, preferablygextends .outwardly and downwardly fromthe boiler to a point adjacent to the upper end of the correspond- `.ing fuel chute, While the ,lower liangel 34is turned abruptly :inwardly extending downwardly for a short distance along the coal chute. This lower langef,1however, may'ter-A minate, as shown, at ysome distance `from the top of the furnace so as toconstantlymainl f tain the fuel' levelin the furnace atfthe proper height forwmost advantageous foper-k Y ation. Similarly, the spreaders maintain the space between-thetop of rtheburning fuel. and the bottom of the `boilerl or crown plate at the desired degree 'for fthebest operation. n l y ,i

Coal which maybefof small sizevis placed in the hopp-er through 'thetopzthereof which may be completely filled' atlone time. TheY hopper vmay varyy ,infy size but ordinarily it 1 will be of sufficient capacity to store coal sufficient to supply they furnace for several days. In this manner, it'zis only necessary' to replenish the supply at relatively.,l long as. f

i Vmaintained filled; with 'coalfuptothese sur#` periods and the capacity may befsuiicientvr for two to six days or even longer.L

downwardly by gravity to"and through the passageways or chutes29, the-spreaders-will function to position the coalin -thepassage' ways, maintaining itQat a. constant vlevel which may be designated roughly bythev wavy lines inFigs. l and Itwill thus be noticed that the fuelfchutesy are constantly .Y maintained, the blower. 16 of y'course being operated as above suggested, to maintain the 45 1. coal flows inwardlyA` and downwardly 4Vi'nvth'ese Y passageways,1the two.' fuel streams moving ,y toward each other in lV formation. and ,meeting substantially inthe .combustionl chamber betweenthe grate 12 and "theboilerlf y n n A In this mannerthe combustioniichamberfis automatically supplied with.vr fuel and the fire desired temperature. "Flins, averticalrelongated ribbony ornarrow zone of firel will be constantly maintained vextending ,longitudinally of the Y furnace 'and disposed 'between' the grate and the boiler atthelapeX ormeet-` ing point ofthe Vshapedjchutes.l rThefhot o gases of combustion of Course pass 'upwardly' impinging upon the` boiler and passalong the throughjtheflues 7 to hopper 'at intervals and to maintain the opering Lonlyi `necessary Lto replenish the. ysupply 7,

ationy of the f blo'wer'yand ofthe grate' hin ythe mannerjahove mentioned. *.The improved fective'andleconomical operation. Y Since certainzchangesmay be madein the above construction and.' different-:embodiout .f departing j Afrom the scope' thereof," intended f' that all matten f contained ein the apparatus is thu'swelliadapted for very` ef-" memsofthe ineenaonfcouid be madewahabove= description kvor shown in the `accom-A anying drawings L shall beinterpreted as.v ilustrative and not in ay'limiting sense. i

-rHaving described yany .inventiomfwhat I"` 8 claim asjnewfand desire to, securegby Letters v In `aheating apparatus, in combination, a boiler, a v combustion chamber having a grate,l opposed: fuel vpassageways leading to Y saidf combustionv chamber a and meeting ata point between the grate and the boiler, Isaid fuelfpassageways being-downwardly inclined towardfeach othery fory effecting gravity feed, a fuel storagefchamben joining with.V andk exf-tending@ continuously fand 1uninte1'ru}j.)'te`dly` ,g t

upwardly from both of `said -fuel passagel ways and .entirely enclosing the upper'part f of; .thezboilen and 'afffuely spreadery positioned l ateach,sideofsaid'boiler adjacent to there- The flow kof the coal tothepc'ombustion chamber fromthe supply lisicontrolled by' .the arrangement above'yde'scribed including f the inclined hopper bottoms andthe wing plates'or spreaders 30. V As thecoal moves spec'tiye 4)fuel passageway. so as to control fuel flow tothe combustion chamber, eachof said passageway; so asfto fcontrol 'and regulate" the Y fuel leyel in thecombustion chamber. f

` Ina;heatingappar`atus,1incombination, y ,a boiler, acombustion chambery beneath ysaid l boiler, gravity; `feedfffuel passageways down-Ll wardly inclininglaterallyin.oppositegdire n* ,y tions'andmeetin'gfin'said'cornbustioncham+ Y v o11slyffnd, uninterruptedly` upwardly from said ,fuel 1p assageways ,and oiningithere'with, f n anda` longitudinally extending'ffuelspreader i" *for each'fsa'id .fuel lpassageway positioned be-v n' ber-fa fuel: suppl'yhopper lextendini-l Continu-V i tweenv isaid hopper yand. theV respective pasfuel vspreaders; including-a wing plate having "an .attaching rand Supporting .lug by which lit is. directly connected to .theboiler vfor .ver-` sageway,'each ofl said'spreaders including yan spectivepassageway, one flange of each angle the combustionchamber.

3.`V In a heatingv apparatus, in combination,`

yangle'plalte withl the angle thereof proj ecti-ngi outwardlyfrom the boiler at a-point substan-l f -tially between the lfuel hopper and there# i l2()` plate-being connected tothe adjacent sideof f the boiler and extendingL outwardly;y and .Y .i downwardly therefrom, the other Viange `of v eachangle. plate extending downwardly and inwardly from the rstmentioned flange ad-A` j acentV the upper part of the vrespective fuel* passageway sol as to control the fuellevelin Y v125.*Y I

j spreader positioned at each side-of said :boil-` grate,.opposed laterally disposed fuel pas#V sageways leading to said combustionV cham# ber and meeting at a point between the grate and theboiler, said fuel passageways` being downwardly inclined toward each other for effecting gravity feed,= a fuel storagefchamber joining with and extending continuous-` ly and uninterruptedly upwardly. from both of said fuel passageways'andentirely. enclosing the upper part of the boiler, and -a fuel f eriadjacent to the respective fuelv passageway ata point thereof substantially wherethe l said fuel chamber kmerges 5 withthe fuelfpas` sageway so as to contro fuel flow to the combustion chamber, each of said fuel spreaders including a wing plate directly attachedto the boiler and having an outwardly and downwardly inclined fuel guiding surface adjacent to said fuel chamber. I

4. In a heating apparatus, in combination, a boiler, a combustion chamber having ai' Y' grate, opposed laterally disposed fuel pasi sageways leading tosaid'- combustion'chami ber and meeting at a point betweenl the grate and the b oilensaid fuel passageways being downwardly inclined towardeach otherfor effecting gravity feedfazfuel storagecham- Vloer joining with andextending continuously and uninterruptedly upwardly from both ofsaid fuel passageways andy entirely eliclOS-V -l n ing the upper part of the boiler, andafuel spreader positioned at each side of saidl boiler adj a'centv to the respective fuelpassageway at` a' point' thereof `substantially where the said fuelchamber merges Vwith thefuel passageway so as to control fuel flow to the com bustion chamber, each kof Vsaid fuel Spreaders including a wing: plate directly attached to the boiler* and 4having Van outwardly ,and

vdownwardly inclined fuel' guiding surface Y adjacent to said fuel chamber;earch'` offsaid wing u' plates having a supporting llg'by means of which it isv connected. torthefboiler` for vertical adjustment forlvarying thefuel flow through the respective fuel'passageways.v In testimony whereof I affix my signature.`

BOBERTTSaRODla a 

